No Timing:Understanding SC 2.2.3

Intent of this Success Criterion

The intent of this Success Criterion is to minimize the occurrence of content that requires timed interaction. This enables people with blindness, low vision, cognitive limitations, or motor impairments to interact with content. This differs from the Level A Success Criterion in that the only exception is for real-time events.

Specific Benefits of Success Criterion 2.2.3:

People with physical disabilities often need more time to react, to type and to complete activities. People with low vision need more time to locate things on screen and to read. People who are blind and using screen readers may need more time to understand screen layouts, to find information and to operate controls. People who have cognitive or language limitations need more time to read and to understand. People who are deaf and communicate in sign language may need more time to read information printed in text (which may be a second language for some).

In circumstances where a sign-language interpreter may be relating audio content to a user who is deaf, control over time limits is also important.

Examples of Success Criterion 2.2.3

A test is designed so that time to complete the test does not affect the scoring

Rather than calibrating an on-line test using a time limit, the test is calibrated based on scores when users have no time limits.

A game is designed so that users take turns rather than competing in real-time

One party can pause the game without invalidating the competitive aspect of it.

Related Resources

Resources are for information purposes only, no endorsement implied.

(none currently documented)

Techniques and Failures for Success Criterion 2.2.3 - No Timing

Each numbered item in this section represents a technique or combination of techniques that the WCAG Working Group deems sufficient for meeting this Success Criterion. The techniques listed only satisfy the Success Criterion if all of the WCAG 2.0 conformance requirements have been met.

Sufficient Techniques

Additional Techniques (Advisory) for 2.2.3

Although not required for conformance, the following additional techniques should be considered in order to make content more accessible. Not all techniques can be used or would be effective in all situations.

(none currently documented)

Common Failures for SC 2.2.3

The following are common mistakes that are considered failures of Success Criterion 2.2.3 by the WCAG Working Group.

(No failures currently documented)

Key Terms

essential

if removed, would fundamentally change the information or functionality of the content, and information and functionality cannot be achieved in another way that would conform

real-time event

event that a) occurs at the same time as the viewing and b) is not completely generated by the content

Example 1:
A Webcast of a live performance (occurs at the same time as the viewing and is not prerecorded).

Example 2:
An on-line auction with people bidding (occurs at the same time as the viewing).

Example 3:
Live humans interacting in a virtual world using avatars (is not completely generated by the content and occurs at the same time as the viewing).

synchronized media

audio or video synchronized with another
format for presenting information and/or with time-based interactive components, unless the media is a media alternative for text that is clearly labeled as such